London Vision Clinic At ESCRS Congress 2009

It’s not often that one finds oneself part of a gathering of several thousand people confident in the knowledge that you are unique.  I am not talking about one’s DNA … this is more to do with outlook, rather than one’s genetic make-up.

This thought occurred to me at the XXVII Congress of the ESCRS held in Barcelona from September 12th to 16th.

ESCRS (which still doesn’t roll easily off my tongue) stands for the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. The event is “European” only insofar as the annual congresses are held in Europe – membership is global.

The participants range from the world’s most highly respected ophthalmic surgeons to their nurses, assistants and clinic directors; from representatives of the companies who supply their equipment to specialist scientific, medical journalists who will pass on their latest findings.

So you can see that – as a full time writer, author, freelance journalist (but in no way specialising in eye-related matters) and London Vision Clinic patient and blogger, I was probably the only person attending who  had just recently discovered the true meaning of “astigmatism” and who is ashamed to confess that she still has problems spelling: “o-p-h-t-h-a-l-m-o-l-o-g-y”  (I blame that elusive first “h”).

Coming up on this blog are some of my totally unscientific impressions of the ESCRS 2009 congress…from the burning question I hadn’t the courage to ask; to a controversial debate in which Dr Dan stirs the pot. I will also reveal – exclusively – what a group of London Vision Clinic ophthalmologists chat about over several glasses of delicious local cava; and my (unspecialist) take on the headline trends in Laser Eye Surgery.

Image Source: sullealidelmondo.it